


Unspoken rule

by ToxicPineapple



Series: Rantaro Amami Week 2020 [2]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), And Shuichi is a clown, Angst, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor panic attack, Panic Attacks, Post-Hope's Peak Academy, Rantaro has fucking trauma my boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:39:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26593819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToxicPineapple/pseuds/ToxicPineapple
Summary: “C’mon, the line isn’t even that long.”“It’s so long,” Rantaro groans.“It is not that long,” Shuichi insists, doing that little shuffle step you do when the line moves a little. Rantaro sighs and follows suit. “You’ll be alright. Why don’t you pull up something on your phone and amuse yourself?”“On my phone?” Rantaro frowns. “Why aren’t you gonna amuse me?”“What, like that’s my job?” Shuichi laughs again, loud, all toothy smiles, and for a moment Rantaro forgets what they’re talking about.---While seeing the Eiffel Tower, Shuichi breaks an unspoken rule, and Rantaro panics.---Amami week day two: Lost/Fault
Relationships: Amami Rantaro/Saihara Shuichi
Series: Rantaro Amami Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1941298
Comments: 20
Kudos: 76





	Unspoken rule

**Author's Note:**

> written for amami week day two! the prompt was lost/fault
> 
> i didn't publicise amami week this year because it's a personal writing project i'm doing with a few other friends. here are the prompts for the week, but it is kind of a friend event, just for the record. i'm aware that i'm doing this at the exact same time as amamatsu week and i really wish i had known before i already had two fics finished so i could try and put it at another time FKJDSFKLj but yeah, please support amamatsu week and don't do this challenge with me unless you're one of my friends who was already doing it. <3
> 
> day one: stay/go  
> day two: lost/fault  
> day three: home/ocean  
> day four: trust/family  
> day five: safe/danger  
> day six: gold/green  
> day seven: free space/birthday

As a rule, they tend to stick together, when Shuichi comes with Rantaro on trips.

This isn’t because Rantaro doesn’t trust Shuichi to go off by himself; he does trust Shuichi, he trusts him more than he’s ever trusted anybody before, it’s just… it’s hard, being out in a foreign country, (being out anywhere,) and not having Shuichi somewhere where he can see him. It’s too familiar. Because like,  _ sure,  _ whenever they might need to split up, it would only be for a moment, just a second where Rantaro and Shuichi aren’t joint at the hip-- so to speak.

But a moment is all it takes. A moment is all it’s  _ taken.  _ Having Shuichi out of Rantaro’s sight like that reminds him of Koharu going down to the beach alone in Hamilton, and Maemi disappearing from the group in Mexico City, and Kikuko, trailing behind unbeknownst to Rantaro, only to disappear, just,  _ poof,  _ seemingly vanished from the world.

(Vanished, at the very least, from Rantaro’s.)

It was never really something they said out loud. There was an incident back when they first started dating, only a couple months after Rantaro told Shuichi about what happened to his sisters, when they took a trip together to the mall. Shuichi had slipped off to buy a couple pretzels from a vendor, but Rantaro missed it when he mentioned that that was what he was doing, and Rantaro had turned around to point out a store and Shuichi was gone, and well…

In retrospect? Kind of embarrassing. That mall in particular is about a fifteen minute car trip away from Hope’s Peak Academy, so it’s nowhere near the same thing as Shuichi getting lost in say, Paris, which is where they are now, but Rantaro almost lost his shit right there in the mall. (He  _ did  _ lose his shit, after Shuichi got back and noticed he was panicking and dragged him outside, but hey, small victories.)

At any rate, it’s a rule. Rantaro can’t help feeling, sometimes, like he’s being a little unreasonable-- seriously, the places that Rantaro goes, Shuichi should be  _ allowed  _ to see things off by himself every once in a while, it’s not really fair of Rantaro to keep a leash around him or whatever, especially when they’re going places that Shuichi has been before-- but whenever he starts to bring it up, Shuichi just nudges his arm and gives him this understanding little smile, his head tilting. He’s never said anything about it, but he doesn’t have to. Rantaro knows that he understands.

It’s more than he can ask for, really. Shuichi is too good for him. But Rantaro’s always known that; no point in rehashing it now.

Most of their time in foreign countries is spent… well, y’know. Looking for Rantaro’s sisters. That’s sort of the purpose of going on these trips in the first place, is to find all twelve of them. But they’re only in Paris the next couple of days to pay Rantaro’s sister Kasumi, who they found on a previous flight out, a visit, and while they’re here, Rantaro decided that it might be fun to actually see some of the tourist spots in Paris.

  
Rantaro, personally, has already been to all of those locations. Partly because, like, who would go to Paris and  _ not  _ see the Eiffel Tower, y’know? Rantaro’s family visited the Eiffel Tower on their very  _ first  _ trip here, all the way back when Rantaro was thirteen, and he’s been a few times in the years since, so it’s not exactly a new sight for him. But Shuichi hasn’t, because they’ve been busy, and because whenever Rantaro has offered, Shuichi has insisted that they prioritise finding Kasumi instead of messing around and sightseeing.

(It’s been… really sweet of him to do, and not to mention a much-needed emphasis on getting things done. Rantaro has been searching as hard as he’s been able since he was fifteen, but he’s easily distracted in the worst of times. It really does help having Shuichi around to keep him on track. He can be startlingly assertive when he wants to be.)

They saw the Louvre yesterday, because that was where Shuichi was most eager to go, and Kasumi came along with, though she seemed much more interested in the temporary exhibits than any of the others. (Which makes sense, since Kasumi lives in Paris now; Marie, the bakery owner she’s been staying with, has probably taken her to the Louvre once or twice.) Rantaro sort of wishes he could’ve taken more pictures of his boyfriend looking at the art pieces, but given that it was the  _ Louvre…  _ yeah. Yeah. Playing it safe. Sounds like the move. Uh-huh.

Today is their last day in Paris, though. This morning, while Shuichi sipped his coffee and Rantaro packed their bags (Shuichi usually pulls his own weight packing, he was just groggy this morning and Rantaro didn’t mind), he suggested checking out the Eiffel Tower before their flight tonight.

Shuichi had laughed a little bit, tilting his head to the side. “Isn’t the Eiffel Tower overrated? That’s what Kasumi-san said, right?”

“Kasumi,” Rantaro closed Shuichi’s suitcase with a grunt, “is jaded, for whatever reason, and not to be trusted.” Shuichi laughed a little more, covering his mouth with a hand, and Rantaro grinned. “Really, though. You’ve been dating me for six years and you haven’t been to see it even once. I think that’s a disservice to you on my part. You should really let me take you.”

“I won’t say no,” Shuichi smiled, tipping the contents of his mug back into his mouth, then putting it down on the nightstand, getting to his feet to strip the bed. “Breakfast first, though, maybe?”

“Of course,” Rantaro chuckled.

  
The main issue with going to the Eiffel Tower during the day is that it’s a tourist attraction, and thus prone to crowds. As in large crowds. Rantaro doesn’t always do so well in them due to claustrophobia, but he can manage. He’s been getting better about it over the years. The main problem is… well, y’know. Crowds mean that it’s kind of hard to see more than half a foot in any direction.

Which means that people can get lost.

Shuichi must be thinking the same thing as Rantaro is, because when he steps out of the Uber, he reaches out and takes Rantaro’s hand, lacing their fingers together and squeezing tight. He smiles softly. “I won’t let go,” he says, tugging slightly on Rantaro’s arm.

And Rantaro finds a smile of his own. He knows that Shuichi is doing this entirely for his benefit, and frankly it’s something of a stifling feeling-- the mortifying ideal of being known-- but he squashes down the crawling sensation in his stomach, squeezing Shuichi’s hand back, focusing on the little flutter of gratitude that tickles his ribcage. It’ll be fine. It won’t be like… no. Yeah. No. It’s going to be fine. Everything is going to be okay.

Rantaro bought tickets online this morning after Shuichi agreed to come today, so there’s no real worry about all of that. There is, however, a line to enter the tower, and Rantaro frowns a little. It’s pretty long.

...Duh. They’re missing a famous tourist attraction during the summertime, and at around midday. What was Rantaro expecting? Still, he hates waiting in lines. Like, not because of anything serious, he just has a bit of a hard time standing still. Especially when he’s waiting to go somewhere he wants to go. The slow crawl that long lines dow is absolutely insufferable, too, like way to put a dude into hyperdrive. Rantaro pouts a little as they come up to the end, leaning over to peer at the front.

“On second thought,” Rantaro says, “maybe we should just go find a park. One without any lines.”

Shuichi laughs. “You already bought the tickets!”

  
“Shuichi, love of my life,” Rantaro turns to look at him, pouting, “these tickets were  _ nothing  _ compared to the massive amounts of money my father allows me for these travels. Not to mention the fact that we’re taking the stairs--” because Rantaro can’t, really, do elevators, haha, “--so they’re even cheaper. I wouldn’t even notice the difference. We could go now and the world wouldn’t even know.”

“But  _ I  _ would know,” Shuichi points out, tugging on Rantaro’s arm with a giggle. “C’mon, the line isn’t even that long.”

“It’s  _ so  _ long,” Rantaro groans.

“It is  _ not  _ that long,” Shuichi insists, doing that little shuffle step you do when the line moves a little. Rantaro sighs and follows suit. “You’ll be alright. Why don’t you pull up something on your phone and amuse yourself?”

“On my phone?” Rantaro frowns. “Why aren’t you gonna amuse me?”

“What, like that’s my job?” Shuichi laughs again, loud, all toothy smiles, and for a moment Rantaro forgets what they’re talking about. “Fine then,” and he moves to put away his phone, “what would you like me to--”

Someone with their hood pulled down over their face plows into Shuichi before he can finish talking, practically knocking him down to the ground. Automatically, Rantaro reaches out to steady his boyfriend, his eyes going wide and then narrowing, but by the time he gathers his wits enough to chastise the stranger who almost one hit KOed Shuichi, the guy is tearing off into the distance.

So Rantaro opens his mouth to ask if Shuichi is okay instead, but before he can-- “Ah, he took my phone!” Shuichi’s eyes widen, round as saucers, and then he’s pulling his arm out of Rantaro’s grip, starting off. “Keep our place in line, I’ll be right back,” he calls, and Rantaro hasn’t even processed what is happening before Shuichi is bolting after the stranger.

And it’s--

It’s--

_ fine,  _ Shuichi is an adult who can handle himself. He’s a detective with a natural sense of direction. He’s observant, and detail oriented. He always pays attention. He’s fast and witty. He can more than take care of himself.

(He doesn’t have his phone.)

They’ve been to Paris enough that Shuichi speaks enough French to find his way around.

(The city can be difficult to navigate, and this part of town is crowded right now. What if he can’t find his way back?)

Shuichi is capable. He’s remarkably capable. He doesn’t need Rantaro there to hold his hand. They’ve been dating for  _ six years.  _ Surely Rantaro can trust him by now.

(Rantaro can’t even see him anymore, what if something--)

He’s only been gone for a few minutes, he can’t have gone far.

(Rantaro’s sisters have gotten lost faster.)

It was just a pickpocket.

(What if it was a trap?)

It’s  _ fine,  _ Rantaro shouldn’t--

(What if he’s already gone right now? What if he just got stabbed? Rantaro’s gotten stabbed chasing down pickpockets before,  _ worse  _ has happened to Rantaro in a shorter amount of time, anything could be happening to Shuichi right now, Rantaro can’t even see him, if something happens, if Shuichi gets lost, it’ll be because Rantaro was careless and just let him go, because Rantaro took him here, because Rantaro wasn’t paying enough attention, it’ll all be his fault, his fault, Rantaro’s--)

“I’m back,” Shuichi is a bit breathless when he comes jogging over, his frown deep on his face. “I couldn’t catch him, he was too fast. Ah…” he sighs, running a hand through his hair, coming up to join Rantaro in line. “I liked that phone, too… it would’ve been good for another couple of m-- are you alright?”

Rantaro realises he’s staring at Shuichi, and blinks, forcing himself to smile. He does the ol’ line shuffle forward, reaching up to cup the back of his neck. “Yeah, I’m all good,” he says, before he can think better of it. “That all happened kind of suddenly, is all.”

“Yeah,” Shuichi replies, sounding as though he doesn’t quite trust like that. “Is that really all?”

No, of course not, but how is Rantaro supposed to just say that? It’s an  _ unspoken  _ rule, and Rantaro is Shuichi’s boyfriend, not his keeper. Nothing even happened. Shuichi was gone for three minutes tops, and he’s back here again, safe. Rantaro’s presence didn’t affect anything just now. It never even has, to begin with. Shuichi is fine.

(This time.)

It would be stupid to bring it up.

(If Rantaro gets lazy, if he lets his guard down, if he takes his eyes off of Shuichi, Shuichi might--)

“I’m fine,” Rantaro says, too loud, too late, just to cut off the thoughts. (He can’t bear the idea that Shuichi might get lost.) “Really, it’s fine.”

Shuichi is quiet for a moment, his brow furrowed. Eventually, he tucks himself into Rantaro’s side, resting his head on Rantaro’s shoulder and tucking his arm around Rantaro’s back. Obligingly, Rantaro reciprocates the embrace, pressing his nose into Shuichi’s hair. He smells like coffee. “I’m sorry for running off,” Shuichi whispers. “I wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s fine,” Rantaro dismisses, too quickly. “I don’t have any right to keep you from going places alone.”

“That’s not what this is about and you know it,” Shuichi mumbles. He tilts his face up to kiss Rantaro on the jaw. “Just accept my apology, don’t try and absolve me. That’s the only way I’ll feel better about it.” He smiles.

...And actually, Rantaro  _ knows  _ Shuichi, has known him since they were fifteen, and he doesn’t think that Shuichi is going to feel better about it no matter  _ what  _ Rantaro says.

But maybe letting the conversation rest is the more tactful option.

“Consider your apology accepted, then,” Rantaro winks, and leans down to kiss Shuichi on the bridge of his nose. “Better?”

“Much,” Shuichi’s smile is wry. “You?”

“Yeah,” Rantaro breathes out.

With Shuichi in his arms like this, here, whole,  _ safe, _

(for this moment, at least,)

it’s almost the truth.

**Author's Note:**

> communication issues are a natural part of any relationship. when they get to a private place later on shuichi will bring it up again and have an actual discussion about it. don't worry, these two are fine, shuichi knows how to communicate and so does rantaro. they're doing their best :)
> 
> i really considered putting this in the amasai drabbles but like LKFJDSKFJ idk it was just a pinch different so


End file.
